Telstra Desktop Messaging
Telstra Desktop Messaging alternatives — exit and migration
Telstra Desktop Messaging is withdrawing for Enterprise on 9 November 2026. Move to an Australian 04 SMS/MMS desk with a shared inbox, cases, True MMS, and published pricing.
Quick answer
TDM is being withdrawn. You need a replacement.
Telstra Desktop Messaging (TDM) is being withdrawn. Per Telstra’s public product page:
- Not available to new customers from 30 June 2025
- SMB withdrawal: 10 November 2025
- Enterprise: no new services or changes from 6 August 2026
- Enterprise / remaining customers fully withdrawn: 9 November 2026
Source: Telstra Desktop Messaging and TDM FAQ.
If you still rely on the desktop app, email-to-SMS, Outlook address books, or scheduled business SMS/MMS on TDM, you need a replacement before your cut-off.
BE Messaging (Binary Elements) is an Australian business SMS/MMS desk on real 04 service numbers, with shared inbox, cases, True MMS, surveys, optional BE AI agent, AU data, and month-to-month desk pricing. It is built for teams exiting a carrier desktop product into a modern inbox — not only a raw SMS API.
Also see the product replacement page at /telstra for the name map of Desktop Messaging features.
When BE Messaging fits
A TDM exit into a modern inbox
- Replace two-way business SMS/MMS with a browser-based shared inbox your whole team can use.
- Keep (or gain) a recognisable Australian 04 service number customers can reply to.
- Add cases, ownership, and clearer reply discipline than a single desktop login.
- Use True MMS for photos, instructions, and richer customer replies.
- Prefer published desk pricing with included conversational SMS/MMS per number.
- Keep Australian data and talk to a local team (03 9020 7900 / csteam@binaryelements.com).
- Avoid long lock-in: month-to-month, 1 month minimum.
When another option may still fit
A different path — or a hybrid
- You only need a hardware/on-prem SMS gateway with no cloud inbox (some sites choose appliance gateways for air-gapped sites).
- Your sole requirement is ultra-high-volume one-way marketing SMS with a campaign suite first (evaluate specialist campaign platforms separately).
- You must stay inside a specific Telstra enterprise agreement / managed service that already nominates a replacement — follow that commercial path first, then layer a desk product if needed.
- You only need Email-to-SMS with no team inbox — several gateways still do that; weigh whether you are recreating 2010 workflows or upgrading the desk.
For most office and service teams leaving TDM, a cloud SMS desk on 04 numbers is the natural upgrade.
Official timeline
Verify these dates on Telstra
- 1.
30 June 2025
Closed to new customers
- 2.
10 November 2025
SMB withdrawal
- 3.
6 August 2026
Enterprise: no adds/changes
- 4.
9 November 2026
Enterprise / remaining withdrawal
Always confirm your tranche with your Telstra account team or IT — SMB accounts may already have been switched off.
Side-by-side
Feature table
| Capability | Telstra Desktop Messaging (legacy) | BE Messaging |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Withdrawing — Enterprise end 9 Nov 2026 | Active AU product |
| Compose / send SMS & MMS | Desktop app, email plug-in, web | Web portal desk |
| Shared team inbox | Limited / single-app collaboration | Yes — shared inbox |
| Cases | Not a modern case desk | Yes — cases |
| True MMS | MMS supported historically | Yes — True MMS in conversations |
| Surveys | — | Yes |
| Optional AI | — | BE AI agent option |
| Outlook address book sync | Historic TDM benefit | Import / process contacts in portal (confirm porting & contact import with us) |
| Email-to-SMS | Historic TDM pattern | Ask sales if email-to-SMS is required for your workflow |
| Australian 04 service numbers | Carrier messaging services | Real 04 service numbers |
| Data | Telstra | AU data — Binary Elements infrastructure in Australia |
| Contract | Telstra plans (check your agreement) | Month-to-month, 1 month minimum |
| Pricing | Check your Telstra plan (not published here) | Public desk bands on /pricing |
Replacement budget
BE Messaging pricing (ex-GST)
Published desk bands
Published on messaging.binaryelements.com/pricing.
| Desk band | Numbers | Price per number / month |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1–2 | $79 |
| Team | 3–10 | $69 |
| Ops | 11+ | $59 |
- Included per number / month: 1,500 conversational SMS + 150 MMS (thread traffic, not campaign blasts).
- Campaign / overage SMS: 6.0¢ under 5,000 · 5.0¢ from 5,000 · 4.5¢ from 50,000
- MMS overage: 25¢
- Portal users: 15 included, then $10 / user / month
- Term: Month-to-month, 1 month minimum
Telstra Desktop Messaging rates
We do not publish invented Telstra Desktop Messaging rates — compare against your current Telstra invoice and any exit credits your account manager offers.
Full configurator: messaging.binaryelements.com/pricing.
Migration checklist
TDM → BE Messaging
1. Confirm your cut-off date
Identify whether you were SMB (already past 10 Nov 2025 for many) or Enterprise (9 November 2026). If login failed after 11 Nov 2025, you may already be in the SMB tranche — see Telstra’s FAQ.
2. Inventory before you lose access
Export or screenshot while you still can:
- Active sender IDs / numbers
- User list and who sends what
- Address books / distribution lists
- Templates, scheduled jobs, auto-reply rules
- Typical monthly SMS and MMS volumes (conversational vs blast)
3. Choose numbers
- Port existing numbers onto BE Messaging where possible (sales quote), or
- Provision new 04 service numbers and run dual-send briefly.
4. Rebuild the desk
- Invite portal users (15 included)
- Recreate templates and STOP / opt-out practice
- Map old “queues” to shared inbox + cases
- Enable surveys or BE AI agent if useful
5. Parallel run, then cut over
- Keep TDM for non-critical traffic while testing BE Messaging on one line
- Update website, email footers, and staff mobiles
- Retire TDM before the hard withdrawal date
6. Book help early
August–October 2026 will be busy for Enterprise exits. Contact csteam@binaryelements.com or 03 9020 7900 to schedule porting and onboarding with margin before 9 November 2026.
What you gain
More than a like-for-like swap
A straight swap that only recreates Email-to-SMS misses the point of the exit. Most TDM teams benefit from:
- Shared inbox so messages do not live on one PC install
- Cases for accountability
- True MMS for real operational photos and documents
- Clear ¢ rates for campaigns and overage
- Optional BE AI agent for after-hours or catch-up replies
If you also need deep marketing automation or WhatsApp, evaluate that as a second tool — do not force every channel into the desk, and do not force every desk job into a campaign platform.
FAQ
Questions from Desktop Messaging customers
- When does Telstra Desktop Messaging shut down?
- Enterprise / remaining customers: 9 November 2026. SMB: 10 November 2025. Confirm your account with Telstra.
- Can I still buy TDM?
- No — closed to new customers from 30 June 2025.
- Can BE Messaging replace Outlook-integrated sending?
- Most teams move to the web portal desk plus templates. If Email-to-SMS is mandatory for a legacy process, tell us during onboarding so we can map the closest supported pattern.
- Do you port numbers?
- Yes — number porting is available as a sales quote (not part of self-serve trial alone). Start a trial for evaluation, then speak to us about ports.
- Minimum term?
- One month. Month-to-month after that.
Commercial
Bring the inbox across before November
Set how many Desktop Messaging numbers you run and roughly how many campaign messages a month. The estimate is indicative (ex-GST) — start a trial, or email a complex quote for porting.
Month-to-month. Minimum term: 1 month. Indicative (ex-GST).
Indicative (ex-GST)
$79 / mo
Starter Desk · 1 number at $79 each
- Desk fee
- $79
- Campaign / overage SMS 0 @ 6.0¢
- $0
- MMS overage 0 @ 25¢
- $0
- Extra users 0 beyond 15 included
- $0
- Monthly total
- $79
Included bundle
1,500 SMS (1 × 1,500) · 150 MMS (1 × 150)
Conversational traffic on the thread — not campaign blasts. Campaigns and anything over the bundle are metered at 6.0¢ SMS under 5,000, 5.0¢ from 5,000, and 4.5¢ from 50,000. MMS overage is 25¢.
Beyond the included conversational bundle — this estimate uses 6.0¢ (6.0¢ under 5,000, 5.0¢ from 5,000, 4.5¢ from 50,000).
Beyond 150 MMS included per number.
15 included per company, then $10 / extra user / mo.
The trial starts with one number. This estimate is a planning figure, not a billed plan.
Need inbound voice, BE AI agent, number porting, or a volume quote?
Next step
Do not wait until November
Configure desk pricing, start a trial, and book porting with margin before the Enterprise withdrawal date.
Questions: csteam@binaryelements.com · 03 9020 7900
Related compares
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Desk pricing & trial
Public desk bands, included conversational SMS/MMS, and campaign ¢ rates — then start a trial.
BE Messaging is a product of Binary Elements. Telstra and Telstra Desktop Messaging are trademarks of Telstra Corporation Limited / Telstra Group. Withdrawal dates cited from Telstra’s public web pages and should be re-checked against your account advice.